Hobart, February 23
Australia begin life without two-time World Cup winning former captain Ricky Ponting in the ODI format, aiming to consolidate their position at the top of the points table when they take on a spirited Sri Lanka in their tri-series league clash on Friday.

Adopting a perform or perish policy, Australia dropped an out-of-form Ponting from the squad despite his massive reputation and the record of being the country's top run-getter in the one-day format with 13,704 runs - second only to Sachin Tendulkar in the all-time list.

The Australians sit atop the table with 14 points after winning three out of their five matches. The Lankans are three points adrift after a couple of wins, equal number of losses and a tie from their five games so far.

Head to head, both the teams have beaten each other once in the competition and with India struggling to stay afloat, they could be the eventual finalists as well.

On the face of it, Australia can be termed favourites because of the home advantage but given how the Sri Lankans have adapted and exploited the conditions to their advantage is also hard to ignore.

The islanders have been unexpectedly tough and have not gone without a fight even in matches they have lost.

Against India in their previous match, the Lankan batting order gave a good account of itself and their bowlers were bang on target when it came to extracting the best out of a friendly track. The result was a comprehensive win which has given them a real chance of making the finals.

Skipper Mahela Jayawardene has led a sprightly group well ably backed by a line-up which may not boast of too many heavyweights barring the likes of Kumar Sangakkara and Lasith Malinga, but has shown the spunk to punch above its weight.

Australia, on the other hand, will have their regular skipper Michael Clarke back after he sat out of the previous two matches because of a leg muscle injury.

The hosts would miss the colossal presence of Ponting but given that he was woefully out of form, the "weird" feeling of playing without him, as Clarke put it, would not be too difficult to deal with.

Also expected is the return of fit-again all-rounder Shane Watson as deputy to Clarke. The imposing cricketer was missing in action for past many weeks because of a calf injury.

Given the form, both teams would battle it out as equals in the match aiming to put a seal on the final berth. — PTI 

Hobart, Ferbruary 23
Australian captain Michael Clarke has said he was partly responsible for the sacking of former skipper Ricky Ponting from the one-day squad. Clarke wrote about how difficult the decision had been in a newspaper column on Thursday, while adding that the 37-year-old Ponting remained a "huge part of our Test team."

"I'm 100 per cent part of the selection panel - that's part now of the captain's job," he wrote in a New Ltd column. "We've made this decision as a panel. It is tough not having the great Ricky Ponting out there... playing one-day cricket for us but that's the decision we've made."

Clarke replaced Ponting as captain after England completed a 3-1 Ashes series win on Australian soil in January last year, becoming part of the national side's selection panel.

Ponting's axing from the one-day side earlier this week as Australia build for the 2015 World Cup triggered fierce debate in the country.

Without peer in the 50-overs game, Ponting has racked up 13,704 runs in 375 matches at an average of 42, also winning three World Cups in his 17-year career, two as skipper.

After accepting his one-day international career was over, Ponting said he would continue in Test cricket and hoped to play in the 2013 Ashes.

His Test place had also been under pressure at the end of last year but he responded with 544 runs at an average of 108 as hosts Australia whitewashed India 4-0. — Reuters 

New Delhi, February 23
After playing four matches each, Indian men are riding the high ground, while the women have blotted their chances, in the Olympic Qualifying Tournament being played at the Dhyan Chand National Stadium here.

The men’s team have kept a clean slate, winning all their four matches to top the table with 12 points, while second-played Poland are on nine points. Even if India draw with Poland in their last group match tomorrow, they will sail into the semi-final while the Poles need to win the match, as France are breathing down their neck with nine points, but with an inferior goal ratio. Even if Poland beat India, unless by a very huge margin, the hosts will still top the group as they have a goal ratio of 32 for and six against while Poland have 22-9. France have a tally of 16-7, and meet the tough Canada tomorrow, and it would be beyond the ken of the French to run up a huge goal tally against the Canadians.

So far, the Indian men have played out the script as had been visualized before the tournament, though their touch-and-go 3-2 win against Canada was a matter of concern after recording impressive wins against Singapore, Italy and France. Canada stand on six points while Italy and Singapore are yet to earn a point, and even if they beat France tomorrow, their chances of moving up are slim.

So, for all intent and purpose, the fight for the top slot is likely to be between India and Poland, and India’s morale would get a big boost if they can conjure up their fifth consecutive victory tomorrow, which will be a big plus for them if they have to meet the Poles in the title contest to decide the Olympic qualifiers on Sunday.

India have so far played entertaining, fast-pace hockey, scoring many field goals and striking gold through Sandeep Singh’s penalty corner drag-flicks. He has knocked in nine goals, and when India earn penalty corners, and Sandeep takes his position to strike, the stands get energized, and he has always delivered.

But overall, the India have played as unit, attacking and defending with speed and verve, and boast of many players who can score surprise, uncanny goals. The good part is that, India keep their match tempo and momentum till the very end, and barring Canada’s two surprise goals in two minutes in the second half of the second half, the hosts have not conceded last-minute goals. Sandeep’s penalty corner goal played the rescue act against Canada, but in the next two matches, the hosts should ensure that they fully seize their chances to score---they wasted many goal-bearing moves against Canada---and ensure that they don’t back-pedal if the opponents strike first.

The Indian eves’ familiar failing was that they not only squandered easy scoring chances, but also got demoralized when the rival team forged ahead. Their defeat to South Africa have blotted their copy book as they are now placed third in the pool on seven points behind South Africa (10) and Italy (8). But the group is still open, and if they can pull it off against Italy tomorrow, they will still be in the reckoning for a berth in the final.

Friday’s fixtures:

Women: Ukraine vs Poland (10 a.m), South Africa vs Canada (2 p.m) and Italy vs India (6 p.m).Men: Italy vs Singapore (12 noon), France vs Canada (4 p.m) and India vs Poland (8 p.m). 

New Delhi, February 23
The BCCI today stepped in to bring about harmony in the Indian cricket team in Australia, telling skipper Mahendra Singh Dhoni and vice-captain Virender Sehwag to ensure that there was unity.

Although the BCCI had yesterday claimed that there was no rift in the team and there was nothing to be "concerned about", it is learnt that Secretary Sanjay Jagdale has been entrusted with the task of talking to the team management and helping restore peace in the dressing room.

No BCCI official was, however, willing to comment on the development. BCCI sources said Jagdale has spoken to Dhoni, Sehwag and coach Duncan Fletcher, and has told them to play as a team.

There was also reports that Dhoni and Sehwag could address a joint press conference to convey the message that all is well in the team and there was no division among senior players.

Reports of dissensions surfaced mainly after the team management introduced the rotation policy for only three openers -- Sachin Tendulkar, Sehwag and Gautam Gambhir, a move which sparked off a heated debate on its merits.

The first signs of the rift came into the open when Gambhir took a dig at Dhoni for not finishing matches early enough with the skipper retorting that it was a matter of perception.

Dhoni then dropped a bombshell by publicly snubbing the fielding abilities of the three openers and said they were not being played together as they were slow fielders and could cost the team 20 extra runs.

But Sehwag countered his captain by saying that the seniors were never told that fielding was an issue when the rotation policy was introduced.

The verbal duel between the seniors, who have used the press conference to take jibes at each other, have not gone unnoticed by the media, which has constantly highlighted the poor performance of the players in what has turned out of a nightmarish tour of Australia. — PTI

Chandigarh, February 23
Certain things in life, and in sport too, have a tendency of coming a full circle. Former Pakistan all-rounder Azhar Mahmood must be all too familiar with this scenario. He made his international debut against India, his first international wicket was that of Sachin Tendulkar and now, at a time when Pakistan players are not in the picture for IPL, he is, albeit indirectly, the only one to be a part of cricket’s most exuberant extravaganza.

Signed up by Kings XI Punjab for $200, 000, Azhar is now a British passport holder and plays for county team Kent. He is looking forward to another stint with what he describes as the biggest thing in cricket after the international setup. “I am really excited to be a part of Kings XI Punjab and the Indian Premier League. The IPL is definitely the biggest thing in world cricket, after international cricket. This is an opportunity that I am really looking forward to,” says Azhar, who is currently playing for Dhaka Gladiators in the Bangladesh Premier League.

“I did not speak to anyone in particular before putting up my name for the IPL auction, but I already knew that it would be a good experience. This is a brand that is known the world over, and Kings XI has a strong presence in many other countries as well,” he adds.

Azhar sounds confident about the team striking the right balance for the upcoming IPL season, but on his own role, he prefers to take things as they come. “I am sure that all the boys will have just one aim for the season, and that is to lift the title. There is nothing else that we would be fighting for, except the trophy.

“But I have set myself certain goals for the season, and provided that I make it in the playing XI, I would want to put in my best to help the team’s cause. I don’t want to get too ahead of myself, and take things as they come. The most important thing is that the team should do well, and whenever I get the chance, I should be able to make the most of it,” he adds further.

Azhar is also looking forward to catching up with some of the Indian team members that he has been close to over the years, whenever they have traveled to England. “I have really fond memories of playing against India. They have always been a really tough side to beat, and we had some really hard fought contests. I have also quite a few friends among their ranks, especially the likes of Yuvraj, Zaheer, Harbhajan and Nehra. I will be definitely looking forward to catching up with them.”

Finally, on the issue of Pakistan players not being part of the IPL after the first season, Azhar is hopeful that the issue will be sorted sooner rather than later. “As far as I see it, there is no issue with the Pakistan players. There cant be. This is upto the BCCI to decide and sort out with the Pakistan Cricket Board. I know that people want those players to be part of the IPL setup, so I am hopeful that something positive will happen about it soon enough.” 

Manchester, February 23
The presence of former manager Andre Villas-Boas at Eastlands failed to inspire holders Porto as Manchester City eased into the last 16 of the Europa League with a 4-0 second leg win on Wednesday.

Manchester City's Yaya Toure (L) challenges Porto's Joao Moutinho during their Europa League match in Manchester on Wednesday. City won 4-0. — Reuters

Goals from Sergio Aguero, Edin Dzeko, David Silva and David Pizarro -- the last three in the space of nine minutes late in the second leg tie -- ensured a comfortable evening for City, who won 6-1 on aggregate.

The goal rush came against a Porto side who played the final 14 minutes with 10 men after the sending off of defender Rolando for a second yellow card.

"We played a good game," City manager Roberto Mancini told ESPN.

"Maybe 4-0 was too much but it was important we went into the second stage," added the Italian, looking to become the first City boss in 42 years to bring a major European trophy to the club.

Premier League leaders City took just 19 seconds to extend their first leg advantage when Aguero grabbed the quickest goal in the Europa League this season.

Argentinian defender Nicolas Otamendi lost the ball around the halfway line, and Nigel de Jong found Yaya Toure whose pass sent Aguero racing clear of the Porto backline.

He took his chance brilliantly with a clinical finish into the bottom left-hand corner.

Porto responded gamely as Joao Moutinho volleyed wide, Silvestre Varela headed at Joe Hart and defender Maicon ended a marauding right-wing run with a wayward centre across goal.

But for all Porto's possession, City looked far more dangerous and Silva's well-weighted through ball after 16 minutes sent through Yaya Toure whose progress was well-blocked on the edge of the area by goalkeeper Helton.

City again came close with Silva's through ball forcing Helton to race from his area to try to intercept Aguero. The City forward skillfully rounded the goalkeeper but his shot from the edge of the area struck the Porto crossbar.

Mancini's team, were content to withstand the modest pressure from Porto and play on the counter-attack, with Aguero involved in a pacy break before the interval which ended with a pass to Yaya Toure.

Despite terrible initial control, the City midfielder eventually managed to re-connect with Aguero only for the goalscorer to flash a poor shot wide. — AFP

Muscat, February 23
A depleted India suffered a 1-5 thrashing at the hands of Oman in an international football friendly match, here today. 

India fielded youngsters Gurjinder Singh and Lester Fernandes in the defence and midfield respectively and also were without Sunil Chhetri and Jeje Lalpekhlua. The absence showed as India were clueless in the midfield and attack while the defence was caught napping several times. — PTI